Germany's Greens: Lecturing the American "Friends" While They Drown

Germany's Greens Pour It On

Green party boss Reinhard Buetikofer has joined colleague Juergen Trittin in his criticism of the Bush administration in the tragic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Mr. Buetikofer attacked President Bush as an "ecological reactionary" who "conducts an energy policy in the interests of the oil and atomic power lobbies."

So why are Green leaders so determined to politicize a horrific natural disaster? Don't forget: It's election time in Germany and the eco-freaks are behind badly in the polls. It looks like they won't last in office more than another three weeks and party members are rapidly growing desperate. That's why they can't resist this golden opportunity to engage in some good-old fashioned America-baiting to fire-up the radical base right before the election. And who knows, they might gain half a percentage point in the polls, and that's what really counts right now...

Meanwhile, in the midst of Trittin and Buetikofer's comments, another prominent member of the Green party, Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, called US Secretary of State Rice to offer "German help" and to express solidarity with "the American friends in such difficult times." Of course Rice was entirely gracious in her reply, but one can't help but wonder what she must have really been thinking:

"Gee Joscka, thanks for the offer but we certainly wouldn't want to distract you and your Green environmentalist-wacko pals from exploiting the death and misery of thousands of Americans to score a few cheap votes at the expense of President Bush. We'll be just fine without you, thank you very much."

Schroeder's SPD: "Empathy Before Criticism"

In related news, Karsten Voigt, the SPD's "Coordinator for German-American Cooperation" said in an article published in the Frankfurter Rundschau that he basically agrees with Mr. Trittin's comments but that it would be more appropriate to show the American "friends" how much Germany really cares right now. In other words, Germans should go back to lecturing America only after the dead have been scraped from the streets and buried. That way Germany will have more real influence with the United States down the road on issues like sacrificing millions of US jobs for pseudo-environmentalist pipe-dreams like Kyoto.

So wake up friends! Can't you ignorant, gun-totting, environment-destroying, blood-sucking Americans understand how much empathy your enlightened Euro-brethren in the Schroeder government feel for you at this very moment? Feel the love! We order you to feel the love!

Now then, was that so difficult? Our Socialist Green government just wants what is really good for you. What a pity it would be if our outstanding Socialist and Green friends were voted out of office on September 18th. How would America ever go on then?

(Italics ours throughout)

Update: Otto Graf Lambsdorff, former Chairman of Germany's Free Democratic Party and economics minister under Kohl, demands Trittin's resignation because of his anti-Bush remarks: "Chancellor Schroeder should fire him immediately."

Update #2: And while Joschka was on the phone telling the Bush administration how terribly bad he felt about the hurricane, his party was continuing to employ Bush-bashing and peace-pandering tactics to get elected. Here are two current Green election campaign posters:

The poster of the left mocks Merkel as "Especially Bush Compatible." The poster on the right depicts members of the German military and exclaims, "Yes! Merkel Leave Us in Peace"

The "peace" poster is particularly cynical considering that the Greens have, as members of the German government for the past seven years, allowed the shipping-out of German soldiers around the world to places like Afghanistan, Bosnia and Kosovo just to name a few...

Update #3: Trittin suddenly silent? It appears that Environmental Minister Trittin is now refusing to take interviews with SPIEGEL ONLINE. The magazine reports that Mr. Trittin left requests for an interview unanswered and continues to remain silent on the flood victims.

The Bush administration is to blame for the dimensions of the human tragedy in New Orleans and Americans know it. Just read today's editorials in newspapers across the country, from the conservative Chicago Tribune to the liberal New York Times. Americans watch in disbelief and horror as people are dying from lack of food, water and medical care due to the total lack of preparation and the poor response of the federal government to this greatest disaster.

There will always be enough time for constructive criticism after this emergency is over.

As we can see clearly now, nature has a nasty way of surprising everybody, Democrats as well as Republicans. Nobody planned this disaster to happen and even if some politicians would have had the foresight wanting to spend the enormous sums necessary to make the Gulf coast totally safe, voters would have rebelled.

So, let's forget the useless and divisive finger pointing. Instead, let's do what our forefathers did, let's pray and pass hammer and nails to get the job done.

Vic no matter what the papers say, anyone dieing now is dieing due to their own ignorance. They were told to leave before the storm hit and they didn't. That sounds harsh but it's reality. I also doubt any Europeans understand the totally corrupt nature of The political organization that is the government of the City of New Orleans or the air headedness of the Governor of the state of Louisiana. They totally dropped the ball. It's is their responsibility first and foremost to take care of the situation. The federal government can assist them but the local government didn't even have a plan it seems. They certainly have no clue. The poor organization of the response is the fault of the state and local government. The Feds are stepping in now and pushing them out of the way.

The federal government is doing it's job and started before the Cat 4 storm hit land. But it still takes days to come up to speed. I have been trained in disaster response in case of earthquake where I live and I know what I am talking about. We are trained to expect no outside help for 48 hours or more when the big quake hits. (There is no question of it will hit, just when.) In a disaster of this scale everything seems to little to late. That is how huge this mess is. It will be over a trillion dollars in damage before it is over. Let that sink in to your brain, one trillion USD, that is the numeral 1 follow by 18 zeros or $1000000000000000000 or one million raised to the third power Dollars. That doesn't even begin to take in to account the certain thousands of lives lost. Blaming Bush is ignorant, clueless and plain wrong.

There are whole towns missing to the east of New Orleans. The images we are seeing in the papers and on TV are self censored. The situation is truly horrific. Anyone who blames Bush is a total fool. This is an act of nature beyond anyones control and people better just get used to that and quit talking bullshit.

Oh yes I do have most of my Wife's family living in that state. Thank god they are all safe.

I have just heard an interview with Ray Naggin, mayor of New Orleans, in which he blames the federal government in very explicit language for not sending enough reinforcements. including the president.

I wonder how long it takes for the german media to pick it up: "Naggin: Bush is incompetent!"

@Toby -I wonder how long it takes for the german media to pick it up: "Naggin: Bush is incompetent!"
It's a shame they missed the F.E.M.A. press conference last night - reporters were practically instructing the director to say that having troops in Iraq was hampering the recovery effort.

when I first read your quote I thought this must be some sort of sick letter to the editors. but happens to be the editorial itself. i am lost for words. ray, david, that's something for you guys.

admittedly, the whole piece pretends to be ironical but the sarcasm can hardly hide the true malice in disguise.

The translation (roughly) reads "Right now, I am happy, that the latest hurricane desaster has not hit some poor country but the richest nation in the world. Yes I can even see fair justice in what has happened for what that countrie's citizens have done to other countries' citizens by means of the war in Iraq. However, I would be even happier if I could be sure that only houses of Bush-voters had been hit. I feel sincere regrets for all the others"

I realize everyone involved with this disaster is frustrated and at wits end as to what to do. I tend to agree with those commenters who say the city and state governments appear to have dropped the ball when it comes to planning for a disaster like this (realizing, of course, that there is only so much you can plan and budget for). The city government seems to be totally ineffective. The state has brought in its own troops.

At the same time, as one commenter said, this hurricane didn't just hit New Orleans. It hit several states. New Orleans has been damaged primarily from flooding that resulted from breaks in several levies. Other surrounding communities have been completely destroyed by the storm surge and hurricane-force winds.

The point of all of this rambling is that it's not like there are stockpiles of equipment sitting around just waiting to be put into use in such an emergency as this. So, all of this equipment (and the people needed to operate it) has to come from outside the region. Keep in mind that the US is a big place and it takes time to assemble "all the Greyhound buses in the US" and drive them to New Orleans. It's not like all these folks were siting around on "high alert" waiting to be called into action to go to New Orleans. Heck, even the Army's Quick Reaction Force isn't expected to get to it's objective for 24 hours when they are called into action -- and these guys ARE sitting around on high alert waiting to be called.

Ane, except for the National Guard and Coast Guard, everyone else is a "civilian." They can't (and shouldn't) be ordered to drive into an area where some whacko idiots are taking pot shots at anything that moves.

Even if there were local stockpiles of necessary equipment (cost prohibitive, but let's assume), the surrounding areas have been devastated. It's not like you can just drive into and all over New Orleans right now. In many areas, the only way to get around is by boat or by helicopter.

Keep in mind that there were probably 100,000 people still in New Orleans when the storm hit. That's a lot of people to have to feed, water and move. Of course, it will take time to move adequate assets in to help them. I can certainly imagine the feeling of abandonment if you've been sitting on a roof or in a convention center for three days with no sign of help, but clearly massive aid is needed here and this kind of stuff doesn't materialize out of no where in a few hours.

So, it's only the fault of the City and State officials? This is what the Republican congressman from Louisiana has to say:

"Rep. Charles W. Boustany Jr., (R-La.), said he spent the past 48 hours urging the Bush administration to send help. "I started making calls and trying to impress upon the White House and others that something needed to be done," he said. "The state resources were being overwhelmed, and we needed direct federal assistance, command and control, and security -- all three of which are lacking."

And whoever said above the victims themselves are to blame for not evacuating, I have been watching horrifying scenes on CNN of sick and elderly people dying on the street - in front of the cameras!

Wow, Vic, so if the hurricane had killed them outright it would be one thing but for them to die afterward is different somehow?

They do not call things like hurricane Kartina tragedies for nothing. The lack of effort to minimize the effect is what is pathetic.

Many of the people stranded in New Orleans are suffering from a lifetime of personal choices right to the one that kept them in the city through the biggest hurricane to ever hit that city.

At some point you will have to admit although people will die, it is to be expected in a situtation like this. Two days warning should have been enough for both the city and the state to have done much more, but you cannot force everyone to act responsibly to themselves nor their families.

The proof is on the rooftops and crowds of people who want us to help them after they chose not to help themselves. Well, they'll just have to wait their turn, there are sick, elderly, and infants who need help before they do.

how much of the transport mechanism was already in place prior to June 24, 1948?

the answer is, all of it. the only modification made to that plan was trucks were not allowed to be used and thus forced the aircraft option.

you make it sound like the Berlin Airlift materialized out of no where and that is false. even with a week of planning the Airlift would not have gotten off the ground if they had started the process from nothing.

On Tuesday, when the flooding started *after the hurricane had passed* and it became clear that this flooding was going to be a major problem, the Coast Guard and National Guard had choppers on the spot airlifting people out of, and off of, flooded buildings -- the same day.

Surely, you're not trying to suggest, like CNN's Soledad O'Brien did, that they should have flown military cargo planes into downtown New Orleans to airlift people out? Where, exactly should they have landed these things? Next to the Superdome? On (flooded) Canal Street?

Vic is missing both the scale and the nature of the disaster caused by Katrina.

WHOLE TOWNS HAVE BEEN WIPED OFF THE MAP -- BUILDINGS AND PEOPLE. This isn't just about new Orleans, where the emergency radio and pump systems (both funded in large part by the federal government but the responsibility of the city) failed at the very beginning of the storm -- why??? Failure to maintain them? Lack of training? Those systems are DESIGNED to surivive emergencies, yet they were non-functional almost immediately. That is a failure at the local level of government.

Katrina devastated thousands of square miles and many more people have been affected than just New Orleans. I guess the residents of all those towns don't count, at least in the eyes of the media and those who are criticizing the federal government. Perhaps that's because many of the residents in those places not only are poor too, they also had the poor taste to live in towns where no TV reporters have vacationed. (sarcasm intended)

There will be an after-action review and then FEMA's overall performance can be judged. But it galls me no end that critics like Vic don't even acknowledge the widespread destruction and loss of life, nor the fact that FEMA is acting in ALL those areas. New Orleans is a special case for a lot of reasons: geography, culture (including the looter quoted on TV as saying this was his chance to get back at everyone richer than he and reports of deep structural corruption at the local level) and an attitude that hurricanes often threatened but never really struck.

As to the Berlin airlift, the comparison is absurd on the very face of it. I work daily with Army officers who are go-to experts in planning and setting up base camps, often quickly under combat or emergency situations. Not one of them has suggested to me that you can do that for New Orleans WHEN THE SURROUNDING AREA IS ALSO DEVASTED AND FLOODED.

Moreover, the issue in Berlin was supplies, not getting 100,000 people out of a city in ruins with no navigable streets or airfield anywhere near by. Our heavy copters can carry massive loads, but at 8-15 people per trip -- assuming you can get close to those in danger to lift them in the slings -- it's not exactly a practical way to evacuate the city. And since the mayor of New Orleans chose to wait until just hours before the storm to urge evacuation, and had no plan for bus transport of the poor to the Dome or the convention center ahead of the storm, thousands chose not to come to the central points or were unable to do so.

I've known many Europeans, including my brother-in-law who's German by birth. Few have a clue about the size and scope of the US. I generally am willing to give their arrogance and ignorance a pass, but this one needs to be called for what it is: BS.

Interesting link, moracus. Maybe this Spiegel letter exchange will get some kind of dialogue started. However, I was disappointed to see how many Germans reacted defensively to the complaints of the Americans. This reaction sums up the sort of projection that I encounter too often in Germany:

"Can we criticize the Americans now, or is this just going to be a one-way exchange?"

Got that? German magazines and newspapers are filled with harsh criticism of U.S. culture and politics every day - criticism often based on ignorance and stereotypes - yet when Americans finally respond to this criticism it is a 'one-way exchange'. In fact, it has been a one-way exchange all along, with mainstream anti-American views in the German media going almost completely unchallenged. Perhaps this Spiegel gambit will help to change that.

I live in an area of the US that is part of the so-called "pacific rim of fire". That's the name for the areas all around the Pacific that are prone to earthquakes or volcanic erruptions.
We have emergency drills in the schools. In our school district each pupil is required to have an earthquake kit with food and drinks for 24 hrs. and a "cheer-up" letter from the parents.
We are told to have water and other emergency supplies at home for a minimum of 3 days, since it will take at least this long for help to get here.
There are earthquake drills by local and state authorities.
In the low lying riverbottoms, where there are chances of lahars, there are signs everywhere about volcano evacuation routes.
You noticed so far there was not one word about the federal government. That's because everybody knows that it will take time to them get the equipment and supplies in. It would be foolish to store them in the local area, since they might not be available for use since in a katastrophic earthquake. The roads will be out and we will have to be supplied by air. In the meantime, or if the damages are not that bad, the local emergency people are supposed to be in charge. That's what they drill for all the time so they know exactly what to do. And this is what seems to be happening in most of the other areas , except New Orleans, that were hit by "Katrina".

My reference to the Berlin Airlift is that with the right leadership and the will Americans are capable of extraordinary feats.

We've known that a catagory 5 hurricane was headed towards New Orleans since last Saturday. Why can't we get food, water and medical care into the convention center FIVE DAYS after the hurricane hit? Right now it's Noon on Friday on the East Coast and the CNN Web site has the following headline: "WHERE'S THE HELP?: Stranded, Sick, Dying Still Waiting."

For Germans who may not be aware, the US federal system splits disaster recovery between municipal, county, state, and federal governments. The lower level governments are obligated to respond first and only if they are overwhelmed to involve larger governments. The federal government can't move until it is asked to move.

At a certain point, well before the next election, an objective analysis will be made and those at fault will feel it at the polls. It is tremendously early to start pointing fingers and trading accusations. Certain mobilizations are only getting started now, and rightly so. The federal government is trolling the locum tenens (temporary doctor) agencies looking for doctors to ship out to provide medical care. But if we dodge the bullet on cholera et al, the numbers needed will be much lower than if disease does start to break out.

So what should the feds spend their money on, rushing doctors in early who may or may not be needed or waiting a few days for need levels to clarify and maybe be able to devote more dollars to long-term reconstruction?

"Thanks, America. You took the solidarity which Europe had after Sept. 11 and ruined it by trying to force the world into a war that killed thousands of Iraqis and then you let your leaders -- people like Rumsfeld ("Old Europe") and Rice ("Encourage the Russians, ignore the Germans, punish the French") -- step on the toes of German solidarity. Why do you react like that? And now you come up with all the old stories about WWII and so on. Like the Germans, you should learn from your mistakes and stop acting so arrogantly. But all you care about is your ability to eat, drink and drive your big cars. You should try to sort out your own problems before you invade other countries and kill innocent people. Why not take some of your military budget and help your people?

- Didi"

Thats really hitting on all the stereotypes :)

As for the reaction to the storm - when you have a city of 500,000 wiped off the map - don't expect miracles

"And whoever said above the victims themselves are to blame for not evacuating, I have been watching horrifying scenes on CNN of sick and elderly people dying on the street - in front of the cameras!"

The CNN people obviously aren't starving. They clearly have food, drink, sanitation, and living quarters. And they have the resources to get in and out. So the question you have to ask yourself is: why aren't *they* doing something? Is it moral to just stand there and film a person in need instead of doing something to help? What exempts journalists from the moral obligations that all other humans have? Couldn't they have found a way of assisting while still getting their shots? Or... do they actually prefer to film dying subjects because it makes for a better indictment of the United States? Did CNN run "die-before-your-eyes" after during the Asian tsunami? Of course not. And, they still refuse to show the tapes they have of people falling to their deaths from the WTC. But in New Orleans, where a horrible combination of circumstances has come to bear, they obviously have no problem with it.

As for the vicitms not evacuating: I can kind of understand people who didn't leave before the storm. It may not have been smart, but the worst I can accuse them of is bad judgement; they didn't know for sure what the hurricane was really going to do. (Weather services here have a habit of crying wolf over hurricanes, and it isn't easy for someone who doesn't know a lot about weather to distinguish between the truly dangerous storms and the nusiance ones.) However, as Robin Burk pointed out, New Orleans got off relatively easy from the storm itself -- places like Slidell, Gulfport, Bay St. Louis, Biloxi, and Dauphin Island took much, much worse damage. (Bob Riley, governor of Alabama, was supposed to have toured Dauphin Island this morning, but he had to change plance because the entire city is so strewn with debris that his helicopter couldn't find a safe place to land.) The major damage in N.O is coming not from the hurricane, but from the flood. That began Monday evening when the 17th Steet levee broke.

It's been four days since, and there has been plenty of time to evacuate. And yet quite a few are still there, in spite of the fact that the outcome was both forseeable and certain. True, some of them are elderly or incapacitated. However, from what I've seen of the TV from the Superdome and the convention center, the huge majority of them are able-bodied. I guarantee you that, if it was absolutely certain that my city was going to be destroyed four days from now, and I had no other means of transportation, I could damn well walk out. In four days of walking, I could be 80 miles (about 110 km) away. Not a pleasant experience, to be sure, but it wasn't that long ago that walking was a normal mode of long-distance transportation in our country. The historic route of the Natchez Trace runs near where I live. It's the historic route of Ohio traders who floated flatboats down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans, sold their boats and goods, and then *walked* back to Cincinnati -- a trek of about 800 miles. They lived through it. And there weren't any 7-11 stores with 48-oz. coffees along the way, either.

So why are all those people still there? We'll forgive the elderly and infirm, who we've already discussed; besides, they aren't a significant percentage of the population. A few others are trapped care-givers, who stayed with their charges until the last moment. We will of course forgive them too. Now, I suspect that the largest set, which most likely intersects with the set that is rampaging at the Superdome and threatening riot at the convention center, consists of: (1) People who expect the government to take care of them in all circumstances, and were waiting for a limo to be sent to their door; and (2) people who, two days ago, were looting. The first group is just lazy; there's no getting around it. They had plenty of chances to fend for themselves, but they just couldn't be bothered. That was someone else's job. Now they are, basically, overgrown children throwing a temper tantrum because they have gone for two days without any candy. The second group, having briefly fulfilled their lifelong dreams of acquiring all of the material possessions that they were never willing to work for, now expect to be rescued (yet again) from their own indescrections. Because, you see, nothing is ever their fault. Society made them do it. Or Bush made them do it. Or whitey. Whoever. It isn't their fault. They've never done anything wrong in their lives. Just ask them; they will tell you. All they ever did was take what was rightfully theirs anyway. Now there's nothing left to take. What are they supposed to do now? How do they stay alive without someone to give them whatever they need, whenever they need it?

That's what you've got happening in New Orleans now. Circumstances have had the effect of concentrating the worst elements of their society. Corrupt officials, lazy welfare queens, greedy looters, self-important radical wannabes, it's all there. It's an unfortunate fact that the Southern coastal cities tend to attract the ne'er-do-well element, who see places like New Orleans, Tampa, Galveston, Miami, et al, as their ticket to the easy life. The lazy, the shiftless, the cons, the criminal, they all tend to concentrate on the coast. New Orleans is now suffering from its failure, over the years, to deal with them in the manner that was necessary.

Well, I gather none of you have actually been thru anything like this.

My family's place on the Mononghela River was wiped out years ago from a hurricane we knew well in advance was on the way (Western Pennsylvania, south of Pittsburgh). Once the water was back inside the river bank we had approx 3 feet of river mud to shovel out of the basement. And it wasn't just mud, it was the animals imbedded in it - like fish, possum, etc. The ecology of the whole region was knocked off kilter - animals that are normally nocturnal, e.g., racoons, groundhogs, etc., were out and about during daylight trying to find shelter/food. We had to shoot them. The only way to hygenically dispose of them was to burn the bodies. We didn't have any gasoline to spare and of course everything was soaking wet (the water had gone up to the second floor of the house). I'll spare you the gross details and just say that the people in the neighborhood created a do-it-yourself crematorium for these poor creatures.

After the water receded, it was 6 days before the fire department could get to us. We did have looters in the beginning. But just in the beginning.

How did those of us who survived survive? We lived on the river and had boats. My parents had a houseboat as did many other families. That's where we rode it out, that's where we reconstructed everything from.

My brother is buried in a suburb of New Orleans - Mettarie. My sister and I promised my mother we would take care of him. Now we can't.

@ pamela
I am with you, good post.
I live in Florida and last year we had to live through 3 hurricanes. We went weeks without electricity. Was it hardship? yes, we survived though and didn't bitch about it.
The situation in New Orleans is horrible. Relief workers have a hard time getting in because of the flooding and this is being compounded by drug addicts and other criminals, some of whom were released from prison, shooting at the people trying to help. They looted guns from police stations, gun stores etc. Drug addicts are trying to get their habits taken care of by plundering hospitals.
Congress, in an emergency situation granted 10.5 billion dollars for relief. The fact, that this relief is hard to get to the inhabitants is sometimes beyond control. tens of thousands have already been evacuated to other cities, mostly in Texas. People believe that in todays modern times Government can just wave a magic wand and make everything whole again in an instant. ( Especially the President) There are only so many people that can get crammed into a helicopter. It just takes time. When I listen to News reports or read the papers, only reports about the ctastrophies are reported, the fact that hundreds of thousands have already been helped is totally overlooked. Everyone is eager to point a finger of blame in a natural ctastrophe, especially the ones who have never been in a hurricane or Earthquake. Our Midwest floods every year too. People band together and rebuild. This is life.
What about those billions of federal dollars that flowed into New Orleans over the years earmarked for improvements in the levies and pumps and just wound up in the coffers of the political party?
Stay tuned, an accpunting will be forthcoming in a few months, embarrassing a few high and mighty local politicians.

Ah. Florida. My parents built a retirement home there and my father evac'd my mother and his mother there when hurricane Agnes was enroute (1972). Ocala. Absolutely lovely. Because of the weather wouldn't live there for anything.

Um, Vic. You seem to be forgetting that almost all of the roads leading into NO are WASHED OUT. Roads have to be cleared. Trucks have to be found and positioned. They need drivers. They need to gather supplies.

Their are three questions YOU should be asking.

1) Why did New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin wait until *12 HOURS* before the storm hit to order an evacuation?
2) Why did the governments of New Orleans and Louisiana spend billions of dollars over the past 5 years on things like a trolley line, a new convention center and an NBA arena if they were so concerned with the levees?
3) Here is a photo of hundreds of flooded schoolbuses, sitting in a parking lot in New Orleans. Why didn't Mayor Nagin, the man in charge, order these school buses used? He could have gotten at least 10,000 people out that way. He didn't.

Um, Vic. You seem to be forgetting that almost all of the roads leading into NO are WASHED OUT. Roads have to be cleared. Trucks have to be found and positioned. They need drivers. They need to gather supplies.

Their are three questions YOU should be asking.

1) Why did New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin wait until *12 HOURS* before the storm hit to order an evacuation?
2) Why did the governments of New Orleans and Louisiana spend billions of dollars over the past 5 years on things like a trolley line, a new convention center and an NBA arena if they were so concerned with the levees?
3) Here is a photo of hundreds of flooded schoolbuses, sitting in a parking lot in New Orleans. Why didn't Mayor Nagin, the man in charge, order these school buses used? He could have gotten at least 10,000 people out that way. He didn't.

I'm not at all surprised at the hate some have expressed here at the victims or at me for mentioning their plight. The singer Harry Connick Jr. gave this interview today where he asked Americans to "be kind to these people". My hope is that there are many readers who will heed his words.

[excerpt]"Connick said he witnessed babies suffering from dehydration and a man having a seizure at the convention center and wondered why it was taking so long for officials to get needed supplies to the city.

“How hard it is to take a helicopter or a truck ... it's easy to get to the convention center, we got there with no problem ... how hard is it to take a truck with water or food for these people. I don't understand,” Connick said in an interview ith “Today” host Katie Couric.

“They told these people to go to the convention center for help and it's been five days. It's unbearable,” Connick said. He said that while he was at the convention center on Thursday he saw no water or food being distributed to the victims.

@vic
For once, just take a look at the many positive things.
All of the survivors at the super dome have been relocated. Food and water has arrived. How many people fit into a helicopter at a time. It does take time to evacuate, especially when you have limited ability to get there. Harry connick Jr. must be the overlord of the rescue effort and must be believed over anyone else.?
Even the president doesn't have a mgic wand to make everything disapear in a second.
Knowing the Europeans as I do, they would have convened a panel to discuss the situation for a week or so, just in order to take "appropriate" action.
In the US we go and adjust where and when neccessary.
How hard is it to to truck water and food to those people? Damn hard, trucks don't float.
I get damded furious at you armchair quarterbacks who don't do anything to help, only critisize those who do, even under the most horrifying circumstances.
Vic, what have you done?
If you haven't donme anything, shut the f@ck up. you are disgusting.
I am on my way from Florida to N.O loaded with an SUV full of non perishables and Water., Paid for by me.

@vic
Im am, not done with you idiot yet. Thousands of helicopters and trucks have been sent from the federal Government to N.O. Where is the local and State supply?
I do apologize to you for the US not having perfected beaming yet. It could have been accomplished so much faster.

Harry Connick Jr. also said that he could empathize with people looting a plasma TV, that if we were as oppressed and poor as long as these folks had been he'd go steal a plasma TV as well.

Right, Harry. If you were stuck in New Orleans right now your plasma TV would be taken from you at gun point. Your Victoria Secret model of a wife could have been gang raped, Harry. How's that for empathy and "understanding"? Don't suppose you could write her off as a flood loss.

Hey Vic, did you know that Bush had to literally beg Governor Blanco and Mayor Ray Nagin to order a full-scale evacuation? How do you like them apples? How's that for leadership? The people in charge of New Orleans sat on their hands until Bush called them and frigging BEGGED THEM to go.

Several - no - many states - are evacuating people from Louisiana, Miss. and Alabama. The Armory in DC is preparing to take in hundreds. People in DC, Virginia and Maryland will be asked to take families in for the duration.

By the way, Ray and Dave. I understand that some Germans want to help. To them:

Many thanks for your help. Particularly individual Germans who want to help out just because it's the right thing to do. We very much appreciate it. I recommend the American Red Cross - we have 100,000 Louisiana residents floating around Houston right now and they need the everyday stuff.

German Green Party members? Keep your money. I mean that sincerely. Go do something worthwhile with it. Chop some more trees down to print your stupid posters or something. I don't care. Just stay out of my face. You make me sick.

@ Pamela
I love Racoons. They are very smart and feisty. We raised a couple and reintroduced them into the wild. The last one still had her eyes closed. We bottle fed her and our 2 dogs and 2 cats helped. One is a Walker (coon hound). We have pictures of her eating out of our hands, sleppinf on the couch with her head on the hounda nd her new family at the edge of the woods coming back to eat. ( We always kept dog food out for them.

Some of the German posters remind me of a silly TV commercial in the US about someone seemingly very smart and giving all kinds of expert advice jsut because he/she has spentthe night in a Holiday Inn express?
We are getting all kinds of advice from people who have no clue about the ferocity of this particular Hurricane. Not only the size and strength of it but more important her location of landfall.
If this had happened for instance in the Netherlands, it would undoubtedly be the Netherregions now.